(DES
MOINES) – Caitlin Hillyard and
Amelia Browning of Central Academy in Des Moines
won first place this week for their senior group performance
at the National History Day contest in College Park,
Md.

Sixteen other Iowa students earned national rankings
and four others were recognized with special awards
and a scholarship.

Forty-five students represented Iowa in the NHD national
contest at the University of Maryland this week, competing
against nearly 2,500 other national qualifiers from
across the country with historical papers, exhibits,
documentaries, and performances. This year’s
theme was “Triumph and Tragedy in History.”

“Twenty-two of the 45 students representing
Iowa were recognized in some way,” said Naomi
Peuse, coordinator for NHD in Iowa. “I could
not be happier. Iowans should be very proud of these
amazing young people. Their research successes and
extraordinary stories set them apart from others their
age. What an amazing display of our state’s
educational standards.”

Hillyard and Browning took home the gold medal and
a $1,000 prize for their group performance “Something
Good, Something Sad: The Legend of the Cherry Sisters,”
which examined the role the infamous Iowa performers
played in legal history by setting a precedence for
libel and helping to secure freedom of the press.
Hillyard and Browning were drawn to the topic for
its comedic elements and became hooked when they uncovered
its lasting impact on legal and journalistic history.

Matthew Wolf of North Scott High School in
Eldridge received a half-tuition scholarship
to the University of Maryland. Wolf participated with
a senior group exhibit “Trails, Rails, and War:
Tragedies and Triumphs of General Grenville M. Dodge.”
With the help of his partner, Wolf conducted archival
research at the State Historical Society of Iowa in
Des Moines. Wolf’s teacher is Chris Green.

Other Iowa students receiving honors at the NHD national
contest this week include:

Annie Kjar and Jesa Wolthuizen of Akron-Westfield
Community School, Akron placed fifth and
won the Senior Division Outstanding State Award for
their senior group performance “Triumph Over
the Troubles: Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan,
Bringing Peace to a Country Lost in Tragedy.”
Their teachers are Valorie Philips and Colleen Westergard.

Rachel Meredith of LeMars Middle School
placed sixth and won the “Outstanding Military
History award” sponsored by the Historical Miniature
Gaming Society for her junior individual exhibit “Flying
High and Clipped Wings: The Triumph and Tragedy of
the Women Airforce Service Pilots.” Her teacher
is Jeanne Rust.

Justine Jackovich of North Scott High School,
Eldridge placed seventh for her senior individual
exhibit “Billie Holiday: Triumphing Over Social
Tragedies by Singing the Blues.” Her teacher
is Chris Green.

Jessica Salpor of Pella Middle School
placed seventh for her junior individual exhibit “WASP:
Flying to Help.” Her teacher is Jan Van Hemert.

Katherine Tindall of Akron-Westfield Community
School, Akron placed ninth for her junior
individual performance in “‘Deterred but
not Defeated:’ The Duluth Tragedy and Triumph
Over Racial Hatred.” Her teachers are Valorie
Philips and Colleen Westergard.

Brianne Hassman and Sara Blagg, home schooled
students from Marshalltown, placed 12th and
won the Junior Division Outstanding State Award for
their junior group exhibit “NUNNA DAUL TSUNY
The Trail of Tears: Tragedy and Triumph of the Cherokee
Nation.” Their teachers are Karen Hassman and
Diane Blagg.

Jaclyn Smith, Jayde Ostermyer, Emily Miller,
Katlyn Mace, and Haley Coyle of Akron-Westfield Community
School placed 13th with their group performance
“Poster Children, Marching Mothers, and Polio
Pioneers: A Tragic Disease and a Nation’s Triumph.”
Their teachers are Valorie Philips and Colleen Westergard.

Beau Dexter and Gabriella Green of North
Scott High School, Eldridge won the History
in the Federal Government Award sponsored by The Society
for History in the Federal Government for their senior
group documentary entitled “Herbert Hoover and
the Triumph of Emergency Management in a Tragedy:
The 1927 Mississippi River Flood.”

NHD is a yearlong, nonprofit education organization
dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of
history in elementary and secondary schools through
publications and education programs. The program annually
involves millions of people and makes history come
alive for students across the United States. Through
the program, students develop critical thinking and
research skills by creating exhibits, performances,
documentaries and papers they may enter in competitions
at the district, state and national levels.

NHD provides educational services to teachers, including
curricular materials and Internet resources, and annual
teacher workshops and training institutes. More than
2,500 students from 49 states, the District of Columbia,
American Samoa and the Department of Defense Schools
of Europe participated in the 2007 NHD contest.

The NHD in Iowa program has been coordinated by the
State Historical Society of Iowa since 1994 and is
sponsored by the State Historical Society of Iowa,
State Historical Society, Inc., American Legion of
Iowa Foundations, Oberman-Beck Foundation and the
Polk County Historical Society. More information about
NHD in Iowa is available at www.iowahistory.org
or by contacting Naomi Peuse at 515-281-6860 or naomi.peuse@iowa.gov.

The State Historical Society of Iowa is a trustee
of Iowa’s historical legacy and an advocate
for understanding Iowa’s past. It identifies,
records, collects, preserves, manages and provides
access to Iowa’s historical resources. Its dual
mission of preservation and education serves Iowans
of all ages, conducts and stimulates research, disseminates
information, and encourages and supports historical
preservation and education efforts of others throughout
the state.